Sept. 7

 Dear Friends and Family,

A little singer from Winslow area.

It’s been an interesting week here in Window Rock with all the excitement surrounding the Navajo Nation Fair and parade. Two weeks ago, people started marking out their spots along the parade route, which we discovered weren’t only for viewing, but also for vending (mostly breakfast burritos and sandwiches). They closed the roads at 6 AM to line up the three-hour parade.  Everyone gets into the action with floats, queens, businesses, and politicians from across the Navajo Nation. As we walked the parade route looking at the entries, we got our picture taken with our NM United States Senator Tom Udall and a Code Talker.  Lots of goodies (everything from candy to bananas to water) were handed out to the sun-drenched spectators.

With a Beauty.

We also enjoyed our time at the fair, which isn’t large according to Southern California standards, but was just the right size for us. Hilltop Christian won a ribbon for its garden vegetable display.  We saw three students and some parents at the Wooly Riding Event, a unique combination of cuteness and danger for children under 7. The children are allowed to wear whatever equipment their parents wanted them to wear, so a few of them wore helmets, which seemed wise to me. They had to stay on the crazy sheep for six seconds. The scores are based on the skill of the rider and the energy of the sheep.

Blue Ribbon Veggies

A float in the parade.

We felt a little “white” at the fair, but were always treated with courtesy. When looking at the Navajo art, we commented on the difference in perspective, especially in a beautiful painting showing an arrow-pierced U.S. Cavalry soldier lying face-down in the creek surrounded by 

Thanking a Code-talker for his service.

warriors. The fair emphasized tradition and culture, and we could sense that Jesus-seeking individuals do not easily abandon this culture that is steeped in nature and natural law and the traditional ways and worship. With individuals in the border towns (borders between Rez and state lands), who have accepted much of the U.S. culture, the spiritual resistance doesn’t seem as bold, but that is the enemy’s deception. Everyone of every culture must recognize his sinful state before a holy God and accept His way of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The kids practice rodeo on the playground.

With our State Senator.

As exciting as the week was, this next week should settle down a bit. We’ll have fewer people in town, no sirens, and five days of school. One of my students is struggling so much that we’re trying him in a different grade level of work. Pray that he adjusts to this and the kids don’t tease him.

Pray for us as we are having a difficult time getting the New Mexico title to the mobile home we purchased from a retiring missionary.

OK, so here’s the riddle of the day…R* was asked by the school secretary if she could have his old ties. Guess why she wanted them.

Wild and Wooly.